Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place for Fife NHS Board to refer patients with severe dependency on alcohol and with complex needs to appropriate residential establishments, where care in the community and out-patient treatment are deemed inappropriate.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: This is a matter for NHS Fife. The information requested is not held centrally.

Better Neighbourhood Services Fund

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be available for schemes funded by the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund (BNSF) when that fund ends.

Ms Margaret Curran: We have made no commitment to continue to fund BNSF pathfinder schemes after the programme ends in 2003-04. We are considering how the regeneration resources identified in the 2003-06 budget can be used to take forward our commitments in the Community Regeneration Statement and further announcements will follow in due course.

Biodiversity

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in protecting biodiversity.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is taking forward the implementation in Scotland of the UK obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity as part of our commitment to sustainable development. We intend to ensure that the Nature Conservation Bill establishes a new duty on Scottish ministers and all public bodies to further the conservation of biodiversity in the exercise of their functions.

  The Scottish Biodiversity Forum has developed, at the request of my colleague Allan Wilson, a draft strategy for biodiversity in Scotland which will be an important contribution to meeting the objectives agreed at the World Summit on sustainable development in Johannesburg last year.

  In addition, Scottish Natural Heritage are spending £20 million in the current year on biodiversity related work and local biodiversity initiatives are developing action on the ground.

Central Heating

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the Central Heating Installation Programme.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive announced yesterday that it is investigating claims in relation to the contract for the delivery of its central heating programme by the Eaga Partnership. The Eaga Partnership has offered its full co-operation with this investigation and the programme will continue to be delivered as normal. The company has also assured the Scottish Executive that the programme is on track and on target. The Scottish Executive target is that 8,500 elderly households in the private sector should receive central heating by 31 March 2003 and by 31 March 2006 a total of 40,000 households should benefit.

  On 24 February 2003, the Scottish Executive announced allocations to local authorities totalling £7.5 million that will ensure that all local authority stock which lacks central heating should have it by 31 March 2004, with the exception of Glasgow, where the programme will be completed by Glasgow Housing Association within four years of the stock transfer. All housing association stock which lacks central heating should have it during 2004 under that part of the programme which is administered by Communities Scotland.

Child Mortality

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths of children under five have been recorded in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Deaths Under Five Years of Age, by NHS Board Area, 1998-2001

  


NHS Board Area 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

20021




Argyll and Clyde 
  

35 
  

29 
  

30 
  

30 
  

32 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

26 
  

26 
  

36 
  

38 
  

24 
  



Borders 
  

9 
  

4 
  

3 
  

4 
  

9 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

9 
  

8 
  

7 
  

11 
  

11 
  



Fife 
  

22 
  

20 
  

14 
  

17 
  

34 
  



Forth Valley 
  

26 
  

18 
  

14 
  

23 
  

14 
  



Grampian 
  

34 
  

33 
  

29 
  

35 
  

22 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

81 
  

63 
  

87 
  

58 
  

76 
  



Highland 
  

16 
  

10 
  

14 
  

12 
  

10 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

36 
  

31 
  

51 
  

31 
  

30 
  



Lothian 
  

62 
  

61 
  

56 
  

40 
  

48 
  



Orkney 
  

- 
  

1 
  

- 
  

1 
  

- 
  



Shetland 
  

1 
  

2 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Tayside 
  

24 
  

26 
  

17 
  

29 
  

26 
  



Western Isles 
  

2 
  

1 
  

- 
  

3 
  

1 
  



  Note:

  1. Figures for 2002 are provisional.

Child Welfare

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in respect of the needs of families with disabled children in response to the report by Barnardo's, Still missing out? Ending poverty and social exclusion: messages to government from families with disabled children .

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive is already taking action to support the needs of families with disabled children.

  Sure Start Scotland delivers support to very young children with disabilities and their families. Guidance emphasises that services should "provide inclusive support which is both culturally appropriate and sensitive and takes account of any special needs of children and parents".

  Funding through the Executive’s child care strategy supports the provision of child care to meet local needs, including those of families with disabled children. Sitter services provide child care in the parent's home, and existing services support some families with disabled children. A development worker is being funded to take forward the promotion and development of sitter services across Scotland.

Child Welfare

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of households with children have been in temporary accommodation in the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area in each year since 1997 and what action is being taken to reduce these figures.

Ms Margaret Curran: Information on households with children in temporary accommodation, having being placed there by the local authority under the homelessness legislation, has been collected centrally since June 2000. Information on the position (numbers and proportions) within each local authority area is available at the end of June, September, December and March each year since 2000. This information has been published in various Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletins/Statistics Releases, as shown in the table, which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  


Period 
  

Table No. 
  

Bulletin Ref. No. 
  

Publication Date 
  

Bib. Number 
  



June 2000 to March 2001 
  

22 
  

HSG/2001/4 
  

27 Sep 2001 
  

16396 
  



June 2001 
  

28 
  

HSG/2001/6 
  

18 Dec 2001 
  

18220 
  



September 2001 
  

23 
  

HSG/2002/1 
  

26 March 2002 
  

20348 
  



December 01 and March 02 
  

13 
  

Stats Release 
  

24 Sep 2002 
  

24382 
  



June 2002 
  

4 
  

Stats Release 
  

17 Dec 2002 
  

25719 
  



September 2002 
  

4 
  

Stats Release 
  

11 Feb 2003 
  

26454 
  



  These publications may also be found on the Published Data section of the Housing Statistics Branch Reference Website (www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/housing/hsbref).

  Homeless households with children may be placed in temporary accommodation for a variety of different reasons. In the main, this will be an interim short-term measure on the route to permanent accommodation. The Executive is concerned to ensure that the temporary accommodation provided for homeless households with children is of a satisfactory standard and is committed to ending the use of bed and breakfast (B&B) for this purpose. To this end, funding has been provided to the authorities with most children in B&B to provide alternative forms of temporary accommodation for homeless families, of which £289,000 was allocated to Argyll and Bute. All authorities have also received funding to increase the availability of suitable temporary accommodation more generally, following the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

  Guidance issued on the development of homelessness strategies also makes clear that these strategies should clearly identify which forms of non-permanent or intermediate accommodation are appropriate, and emphasises that the use of B&B provision for families should be eliminated. Strategies are due to be submitted by the end of March 2003.

Community Safety

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that people with learning disabilities are involved in community safety partnerships.

Hugh Henry: It is for the individual partnership to determine the level of involvement of people with learning disabilities or other special interest groups. In July 1999 we produced comprehensive guidance Safer Communities in Scotland to assist Community Safety Partnerships to create the framework necessary to develop strategies and action plans. The guidance recommends that as a minimum partnerships should involve at a senior level, the local authority, police, health board and/or trust and the fire service. It also stresses that partnerships should consider the role of the private and voluntary sectors, housing associations and racial equality/community relations councils either as members of the core partnership group, or by being involved in specific working groups etc.

  In preparing a community safety strategy, partnerships are encouraged to undertake a community safety audit and to consult the community to enable them to be actively involved in setting priorities.

Concessionary Travel

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend concessionary fares, including access to subsidised taxi services, to carers and, if so, how it will do so.

Lewis Macdonald: Transport authorities are responsible for making and administering concessionary travel schemes under section 94(4) of the Transport Act 1985. The powers within the act are discretionary and it is for individual authorities to determine what eligible categories will qualify under their concessionary travel scheme, and what level of concession should be given to groups, such as carers/companions.

Cremation

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the provision of crematorium facilities.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Legislation on the provision and operation of crematoria in Scotland is set out in the 1902 and 1952 Crematorium Acts and the Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 1935. Under these acts, local authorities have responsibilities for authorising any new crematoria.

Economic Development

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive will institute a review of any difficulties in recruiting suitably qualified employees in both public and private sectors resulting from Edinburgh’s property values and economic performance.

Mr Jack McConnell: The record lows in unemployment in Scotland are presenting challenges not seen since the last time we had near full employment over 40 years ago. We are in regular dialogue with others in both public and private sectors to ensure our actions help meet those challenges.

Employment

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken in respect of employment sectors that are not covered by sectors skills councils.

Iain Gray: Responsibility for essential functions, such as National Occupational Standards and Modern Apprenticeship Frameworks, for sectors which are not be covered by an individual Sector Skills Council rests with the Sector Skills Development Agency.

Enterprise

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to promote the equine industry in (a) Angus and (b) Scotland.

Mike Watson: The Executive, through its various agencies, stands ready to assist where it can the development of any industry.

Environment

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve air quality.

Ross Finnie: The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  sets out a comprehensive framework of policy measures   which aim to improve air quality in the short- to medium-term. The Executive is working closely with Scottish Environment Protection Agency, local authorities and other relevant bodies to implement these policies.

Fire Service

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the £5.4 million announced by the Deputy Minister for Justice on 12 December 2002 to help fund firefighters’ pensions was transferred from it to fire boards.

Hugh Henry: The additional £5.4 million funding was incorporated as a redetermination in the Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order 2003, debated in Parliament on 6 February. The additional resources will be distributed before the end of this financial year.

Gaelic

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take following the publication of figures from the 2001 Census on the number of Gaelic speakers.  The member has provided the following translation:  Coinneach Mac an Tòisich: A dh’ fhaighneachd do Riaghaltas na h-Alba dè na ceuman a tha iad am beachd a ghabhail as dèidh do na figearan bho chunntas-sluaigh 2001 airson àireamh luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig a bhith air am foillseachadh.

Mike Watson: We will continue with our policy of strengthening and extending Gaelic education at all levels. We believe this is the most effective means of increasing the number of Gaelic speakers. In addition, I will ask Bord na Gaidhlig to take account of the 2001 Census when they produce their first national plan for Gaelic.

  The Scottish Executive has provided the following translation:

  Leanaidh sinn oirnn leis a’ phoileasaidh a tha againn a bhith a’ neartachadh agus a’ leudachadh foghlam Gàidhlig aig gach ìre. Tha sinn a’ creidsinn gur e seo an dòigh as èifeachdaich air a bhith a’ leudachadh àireamh luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig. A thuilleadh air sin, iarraidh mi air Bòrd na Gàidhlig suim a ghabhail de Chunntas-sluaigh 2001 an uair a bhios iad ag ullachadh an ciad plana nàiseanta airson na Gàidhlig.

General Practitioners

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the number of specialist practice nurses within GP practices and what consideration it is giving to widening their powers to prescribe.

Malcolm Chisholm: Practice nurses are employees of general practices. As such, the NHS does not directly employ them. It is the responsibility of individual practices to determine appropriate staffing levels. The number of practice nurses has increased from 900.9 whole-time equivalent (WTE) in 1997 to 1,123.5 WTE in 2001 (ISD 2002).

  The extension of independent nurse prescribing, for which courses began in Scotland last year, and supplementary prescribing, which is currently being incorporated into courses, both represent a substantial widening of the prescribing powers of all nurses, including practice nurses. Of the 300 plus nurses who are currently in training, have recently completed training, or will be starting training shortly, to widen their prescribing powers, around 40% are practice nurses. A further £2 million is allocated over the next three years to continue the expansion of nurse prescribing and introduce supplementary prescribing for pharmacists.

Higher Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding support will be given to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council in order to avoid staff redundancies in higher education institutions such as Glasgow School of Art.

Iain Gray: The funding offered to individual institutions is a matter for the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC). Legislation precludes ministers from directing funds to particular institutions.

  In 2002-03, Glasgow School of Art received just over £8 million from SHEFC – an increase of 13.4% on the £7 million it received in 2001-02.

Historic Scotland

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps Historic Scotland is taking to increase access to its visitor attractions during the European Year of Disabled People.

Mike Watson: Historic Scotland has had a long-term commitment to improving access – both physical and intellectual – to the built heritage, including in particular those properties in its own direct care.

  During 2003 Historic Scotland will be:

  spending £200,000 on improving access to its properties for visitors with disabilities;

  issuing a revised version of the brochure for visitors with disabilities which explains the levels of access possible and putting the same information on the Historic Scotland website, and

  revising its Technical Advice Note on access for the disabled to historic buildings. This provides practical advice and guidance and is available to other owners of historic buildings and monuments, local authorities, architects and planners.

Homelessness

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to the rough sleepers initiative in the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area since the inception of the initiative and how successful the initiative has been.

Ms Margaret Curran: West Dunbartonshire Council received a total of £190,357 in Rough Sleepers Initiative (RSI) grant in the years 1997-98 to 2001-02 to provide a range of support services for people who slept rough, or were at risk of doing so. Argyll and Bute Council received £397,360. A further £104,347 per annum has been transferred to West Dunbartonshire's Revenue Support Grant and a further £114,480 per annum to Argyll and Bute's Revenue Support Grant to ensure the continuation of these services.

  In May 2001 there were no people identified as sleeping rough in West Dunbartonshire in the two-week period covered by the study; in the same two-week period in 2002 there were three people who identified themselves to RSI services as having slept rough. In May 2001 the total number of people identified as sleeping rough in Argyll and Bute in the two-week period covered by the study was eight. In the same two-week period in 2002 the number was four.

  Both councils are currently preparing Homelessness Strategies, and revising their RSI local outcome agreements. In doing so, both councils have taken into account the findings of earlier research to ensure the wider availability of services and accommodation across their areas and the fact that they now have a statutory duty to provide, at minimum, temporary accommodation, advice and assistance for anyone assessed as homeless.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the First Minister what role mediation processes have in the justice system.

Mr Jack McConnell: We support mediation where it is feasible and appropriate for example in family cases, where the courts have the power to refer cases, in neighbourhood disputes or commercial situations, and other policy areas including restorative justice programmes where it forms part of our youth justice strategy.

Justice

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish proposals following the consultation paper Vital Voices: Helping Vulnerable Witnesses Give Evidence for changes to the law of evidence and court procedures to benefit vulnerable witnesses.

Hugh Henry: A Policy Statement will be published today and will be available on the Scottish Executive website. Copies have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26600).

Local Government Finance

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £4 billion additional spending on public services up to 2005-06 as a result of the UK spending review has been, or will be, allocated and how much has been, or will be, allocated to the Midlothian Council area.

Mr Andy Kerr: Full details of our proposed spending plans for the years to 2005-06 are set out in Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-2006: What the money buys  ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/government/babs-00.asp ) and the Draft Budget   document ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/dbd03-00.asp ), published in September and October last year respectively.

  Midlothian Council’s general revenue grant allocation will increase over the next three years by £10.6, £17.1 and £21.8 million above the current year to £121 million by 2005-06. The council will benefit from a range of other funding allocations outwith the main settlement, including, for example, for integrated children’s services and improving its school estate.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what priority is being given to the diagnosis and treatment of perinatal mental illness.

Malcolm Chisholm: Individual care decisions are matters for clinicians in consultation with the relevant professional staff/multi-disciplinary team. Care decisions should always be based on individually assessed needs.

  Following the member's business debate on 4 December, NHSScotland regional planning groups have been asked to consider the benefits of providing joint admission services for postnatal depression on a shared, regional basis. Progress will be assessed in April. Meanwhile, I am encouraged that NHS Greater Glasgow’s own proposals will come on stream at the beginning of 2004 as a first step towards wider provision.

  Published guidance on the best organisation of postnatal depression services (Bib. number 24358) and the management of postnatal depression and puerperal psychosis (Bib. number 25439) inform these considerations.

Mortality

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths there were from coronary heart disease in the Clydesdale area of the Lanarkshire NHS Board area in each of the last four years and how these figures compared with the national average.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Deaths from Coronary Heart Disease1, Clydesdale2, 1998–2001

  

 

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  



Clydesdale 
  
 
 
 
 



Number of deaths 
  

188 
  

172 
  

151 
  

168 
  



Rate per 100,000 population3


319 
  

291 
  

255 
  

283 
  



Scotland 
  
 
 
 
 



Rate per 100,000 population3


262 
  

261 
  

245 
  

235 
  



  Notes:

  1. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes 410-414 (1998 and 1999) and Tenth Revision codes I20-I25 (2000 and 2001), ischaemic heart disease.

  2. Former Clydesdale local government district area.

  3. The rates have been calculated using the latest available mid-year population estimates. Those for 1998 to 2000 are subject to revision to make them consistent with population results from the 2001 Census. The rates have not been age standardised.

NHS Services

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Eurocare Environmental Services Ltd holds any contracts for the disposal of waste from the NHS in Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: Eurocare Environmental Services Ltd currently holds 52% of the market share of contracts for the disposal of health care clinical waste from NHSScotland.

  Recent legal action against Eurocare culminated in the imposition of a fine below that considered to have any impact on the delivery of services to NHSScotland. To date, there have been no concerns over the operation of the NHSScotland contract in terms of service quality.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have (a) had proceedings taken against them for and (b) received (i) an adjudication or (ii) a criminal conviction for violence at HM Prison Kilmarnock in each quarter since the prison came into operation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The number of cases dealt with in the orderly room has been:

  Year 1 (including opening months): 3,200

  Year 2: 4,300

  Year 3: 4,100

  Year 4 (10 months): 4,200

  A breakdown of types of breaches of discipline is contained in Appendix 6 of the latest SPS Annual Report and Accounts. This document can be found in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 22587).

  The remainder of the information is not available.

Renewable Energy

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32809 by Ross Finnie on 13 January 2003, how the error in the sample data for the study "Public Attitudes Towards Wind Farms in Scotland" occurred and to what extent the study contributed to the expansion of wind farms in the Highlands and Islands.

Ross Finnie: The error arose from the inadvertent use of an inaccurate grid reference to map the population samples at one of the four sites surveyed.

  The data error covered one particular conclusion drawn from the survey. It did not, however, undermine the central conclusion.

Renewable Energy

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what planning criteria local authorities take into account when considering applications for wind farms and, in particular, what weight is given to proximity to housing, views of residents, views of non-residents, long-distance visibility and bio-diversity issues.

Des McNulty: The considerations that should be taken into account are set out in National Planning Policy Guideline 6: Renewable Energy Developments  which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18113) . Planning authorities will need to address amenity and bio-diversity issues on a case-by-case basis including deciding what weight should be attached to these and other material planning considerations.

Roads

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date work will commence on the upgrade of the A77 between Fenwick and Malletsheugh.

Iain Gray: The preferred bidder has started preliminary site preparation work this week, covered by a pre-contract agreement in advance of the formal contract.

Roads

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce a local public inquiry on consultation processes relating to the A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch bypass.

Des McNulty: Due to the unavailability of parties to the inquiry, it has not yet proved possible to set a date for the public local inquiry relating to the A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch bypass. A further pre-inquiry procedure meeting is being arranged when programming of the inquiry and suitable dates will be discussed with the main parties. With statutory periods for advertising the inquiry and lodging of documents plus the intervening holiday season, it seems unlikely that the public local inquiry will be able to be arranged before September 2003.

Schools

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-6413 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 February 2003, whether the circular will clearly set out that no school should be closed on the basis of lack of funds for repairs and maintenance.

Cathy Jamieson: The circular will set out the uses to which the Schools Fund may be put. It will not advise education authorities on the issues they might take into account in considering the circumstances in which the closure of a school might be proposed.

Sport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any financial assistance will be provided for the promotion of the (a) Edinburgh Marathon 2003 and (b) Loch Ness Marathon 2003; whether financial assistance in meeting part of the costs of advertising such events in journals such as Runners World may lead to a substantial return on investment for the tourism industry by spreading awareness of the events to a wider audience; whether VisitScotland provided any direct financial assistance for the Loch Ness Marathon 2002, and, if so, what the reasons are for the change in VisitScotland's position that no financial assistance was available, given in response to a letter from me urging it to provide such assistance.

Mike Watson: The Scottish Executive has not been approached for financial assistance for the Edinburgh Marathon or the Loch Ness Marathon and, therefore, has no plans to support either event.

  It is for VisitScotland to consider the various approaches it receives for support against its objectives and priorities.

  I understand that VisitScotland decided against providing financial support for promotion of the Loch Ness event in both 2002 and 2003, but VisitScotland did promote the Loch Ness Marathon in its Active Scotland news release in 2002 and plans to do likewise this year.

  I suggest that any further questions on this particular issue be taken up directly with VisitScotland.

Teachers

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that local authorities have enough money to implement the McCrone settlement.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive continue to fund the agreement, A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century ,   in full.

  Additional funding towards full implementation of the agreement was announced in December 2002 as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement and is being distributed to local authorities using established and agreed arrangements.

  Further resources to fund specific elements of the agreement, including Continuing Professional Development and the placement of probationers will be distributed separately through specific grant allocations.

Transport

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in promoting sustainable transport.

Lewis Macdonald: We have made progress in many areas. This week alone, we have awarded over £3 million to 55 projects under the Rural Community Transport Initiative, and agreed a joint investment programme with the Strategic Rail Authority to build longer platforms at 23 Scottish railway stations, to accommodate longer trains.